Coding apparatus



Aug. 9, 1966 c. PRICE, JR

comma APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 10, 1964 INVENTOR Zea/Z3 Cfrz'ce f ATTORNEY Aug. 9, 1966 1.. c. PRICE, JR 3,264,979

CODING APPARATUS Filed April 10, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 9 INVENTOR Jamal; flfrz'ce 11?.

ATTORNEY-5 United States Patent 3,264,979 CODHNG APPARATUS Lewis1C. Price, Jr., Yonkers, N.Y., assignor to Control Print Machinery Manufacturers Corporation, a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 10, 1964, Ser. No. 358,861

11 Claims. (Cl. 101--35) This invention is concerned with printing machines. More particularly, the invention is concerned with an apparatus adapted to print information such as dates, lot numbers, etc., on containers, particularly bottles, cans, etc., and similar containers, the identifying mark being imprinted on the bottom or end of such container. Thus the apparatus will hereinafter, for simplicity, be referred to as a bottom coder or printing machine.

Apparatus such as that which forms the subject of this invention are known in the art. Thus the present invention is concerned with a bottom coder which is vastly improved over the prior devices in that more accurate positioning of the imprinted information is possible and further in that jamming of articles passing through the bottom coder is practically and efliciently eliminated.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to produce an eflicient bottom coding apparatus.

A further object of the invention is to produce a bottom coder which permits of accurate placement of the printed matter on the article being processed.

Still another object of the invention is to produce a bottom coder which is practically jam proof.

An additional object of the invention is to produce a bottom coder which will operate over long periods of time unattended and with a minimum of lost time.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel feed conveyor for bottom coding machines.

These and other objects of the invention not specifically referred to but, none-theless inherent therein, are accomplished by a combination comprising a frame, a conveyor on said frame, said conveyor being of the endless link type and being provided with apertures centered midway between its marginal edges, imprinting means operable with the conveyor to imprint articles carried on the conveyor, through said apertures. The apparatus further comprises means adjacent the conveyor edges to guide and space articles therein and with respect to said apertures, said guiding and spacing means including at least one rotatable feed screw having a surface of generally helically ribbed, tapered configuration, means for adjustably positioning said feed screw in spring biased, releasable relationship with respect to the conveyor and drive means for continuously driving the feed screw in associated with movement of said endless conveyor.

The guide means is mounted on a horizontally movable carriage and is vertically adjustable on said carriage and relative to the conveying surface to accommodate different sized articles and said drive means is arranged to permit true horizontal movement of said carriage.

Turning now to a detailed description of the invention, attention is invited to the drawing forming with the description a full and complete disclosure and wherein FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a machine constructed in accordance with the invention,

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan View of a portion of the conveyor showing in outline form the imprinting member,

FIG. 4 is an elevational view facing the feed screw and taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the structure shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 enlarged to show more detail than shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the structure, shown in FIG. 5, somewhat altered for clarity,

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the drive line of the apparatus and FIGS. 8a and 8b are partial plan views and FIGS. and d schematic views illustrative of the timing screw gear change mechanism oriented in accordance with the plan view of FIG. 1.

Turning now to FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the machine includes a primary cabinet structure 10 and a secondary winged conveyor structure 20. The cabinet 10 houses the drive mechanism for the coder, while the conveyor structure primarily supports the end sprocket wheels 1, 3, 5 and 7 (only 1 and 3 being shown in FIG. 1), thus enabling the top flight of the conveyor to be considerably longer than the width of cabinet 10. A conveying means 30 is supported on sprocket wheels 1, 3, 5 and 7 and while same will be described in detail hereinafter, it should be pointed out that the conveyor is of the endless type and made up of a plurality of hingedly interconnected links trained over the sprockets, the links being supported to define a level surface along the top flight of the conveyor by a wear strip or strips 9 suitably supported on the top surface 12 of the winged frame 20. The top flight of the conveyor 30 is also level with respect to and generally contiguous with the top planar surface 11 of cabinet structure 10.

Mounted above the conveyor 30 on a pair of vertical posts 13, 15, is a container hold-down assembly 40. This assembly comprises a frame 17 slidably mounted for vertical movement on posts 13, 15, as by sliding collars or the like with frame 17 generally paralleling a portion of the top flight of conveyor 30. Ioumaled in the extreme opposite ends of frame 17 are a pair of presser belt pulleys 19, 21 over which is trained an endless presser belt 23 which is, as are the pulleys 19 and 21, of conventional design. Suitable means may be provided on frame 17 to keep the belt taut (not shown) so that the lower flight thereof generally parallels the top flight of conveyor 30. Also connecting frame 17 to the base cabinet 10 is a vertical screw member 25 which passes through frame 17 and is engaged by a hand wheel operated jack means 27 so that frame 17 may be raised and lowered and positioned at a selected height on posts 13- and 15. Thus the distance between the bottom flight of the endless belt 23 and the top flight of conveyor 30 may be adjusted to accommodate varying dimensions of containers which are carried along conveyor 30.

The belt 23 is driven via chain 29 and sprocket 31, the latter of which is keyed to the same shaft that carries pulley 21, but disposed on the opposite side of frame 17 from aforesaid pulley. The chain 29 is connected to the drive line of the coder as will be apparent as the description proceeds.

As seen in both FIGS. 1 and 2, the top 11 of the cabinet 10 supports a container timing assembly 50, to be described in detail, having a timing memebr 51 disposed generally parallel to the longitudial axis of conveyor 30. The timing member 51 is essentially a tapered, spiral ribbed screw member, which is rotated at a peripheral speed so that the advance of the continuous spiral rib 54 is equal to and coordinated with the lineal speed of the top flight of the conveyor 30. The timing assembly 50 is movable laterally of the centerline of conveyor 30 and also the height of the timing screw 51 may be adjusted relative to the top flight of the conveyor 30 to provide for different sized articles all as will be apparent as the description continues, particularly with respect to FIGS. 4 and 5. It will be noted from an inspection of FIGS. 1 and 2, however, that the feed screw is driven by a chain 192 as will later be apparent.

Having described the overall apparatus and its various components, attention will now be directed to FIG. 3 and the structure of conveyor 30. In this figure it will be seen that conveyor 30 is essentially comprised ,of a plurality of slat-like links 55, 55, and 57, 57, all hingedly interconnected transversely to the direction of movement of the conveyor at hinge pins 59, 59. Actually the conveyor is comprised of two series of links running in parallel and with each link 55, 55 of each series in edge to edge relationship and with each link 57, 57', in each series, disposed in the same relationship so that a space is formed between the registered and spaced apart'inner edges of these links 57, 57'. As stated before, the links are generally slat-like in plan configuration. The carrying surfaces 60, 60' of the slats are generally planar and uninterrupted. However, the hinge members 61, 61' and the sprocket engaging lug members 63 are formed on the bottom of the areas 60, 60', hence the wear strips 9, 9' serve to space the links parallel the surface 11 and also to restrain the links laterally of their movement across surface 12 of winged extension 20.

Turning now to the arrangement of adjacent links 57, 57 and the space defined therebetween, it will be seen that this space is disposed symmetrically with respect to the centerline of the conveyor 30. It will also be seen, in FIG. 3, that the surface 12 is provided with an opening 65 which, as shown, registers with the opening defined between links 57, 57. Disposed beneath the surface 12, within the extension 20, but having its printed areas extending through opening 65, is a fiexographic printing wheel 69. This wheel, conventional in design, is driven as will subsequently be described, and is provided with two printing plate members disposed 180 apart. The peripheral speed of the wheel is such that for each one-half revolution an inked printing member is aligned with one of the spaces occurring between conveyor links 57, 57' as the conveyor moves over the opening 65. Obviously, the printing plates carried by wheel 69 project upwardly in this space between links 57, 57' a suflicient distance to contact the surface of any article which is carried on the top surfaces of the links 57, 57'. Also, it might be mentioned that the timing screw assembly 50 is so coordinated as to space articles passing through the apparatus over the links 57, 57' so that the printing wheel will contact each article at point P (see FIG. 1), while belt 23 presses each article against the surfaces 60, 60' of the conveyor links so that proper impression pressure is maintained between the printing member and the container surface to be printed.

It is also extremely important to note, that because of the use of two conveying members running in parallel and forming the openings between links 57, 57' as shown, the articles can be positioned so as to be directly centered over the printing wheel.

Having described the .unique conveyor arrangement shown in FIG. 3, attention will now be directed to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 and the structure of the novel feed screw arrangement 50. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the planar top surface 11 of cabinet structure 10 is provided with a pair of spaced parallel plate members 71 and 73 disposed above the surface and also parallel thereto. The plate members 71, 73 are also positioned so as to be perpendicular in a horizontal plane to the line of travel of conveyor 30 and are spaced above the planar surface 11 by a plurality of spacer members 75 and cap screws 77 which pass through the spacers and threadedly engage suitable tapped holes. Also fixed as by threaded engagement in a suitable aperture, in the top surface 11 of cabinet 10 and disposed substantially midway between plate members 71, 73 is a rod end bearing 79, which will be described in detail later.

Situated between the plate members 71, 73 is a carriage frame comprised of a support block 81, FIG. 6, connected, as by countersink screws 83 to a pair of spaced carriage frame members 85, 87 which parallel each other 4 l and as well, the plate members 71, 73 but are disposed belowthe latter members. The opposite ends of carriage frame members 85, 87 are connected by a cross member 89 fixed thereto as by bolting, welding or any other suitable fastening technique. The carriage thus is comprised of a generally rectangular frame including members 81, 89 and 85, 87 rigidly tied together; said frame lying between and beneath the horizontal, spaced apart plate members 71, 73. This frame is provided at either side with a pair of rollers 91, 91' and 93, 93'. These rollers, in addition to resting on the planar surface 11 of the cabinet structure 10 and supporting the carriage assembly thereon, also are disposed beneath the parallel plate members 71, 73 so as to keep the carriage from any substantial vertical movement with respect to the surface 11, while permitting movement of the carriage only in a direction parallel to the plate members 71, 73 and generally perpendicular to the axis of movement of conveyor 30. To further stabilize the carriage, an additional pair of rollers are fixed to the surface 11. These rollers 95, 97 are mounted so as to rotate about vertical axes and to contact the inside surfaces of the side members 85, 87 to prevent any horizontal movement of these members and thus the carriage, in a direction other than perpedicular to the line of movement of the conveyor 30. It should be noted, however, that the carriage assembly or frame can be formed of a single plate carrying the block 81 and slotted to receive rollers 95, 97.

Mounted on support block 81 and extending laterally for a considerable distance to either side of the carriage assembly is a pivot bar 101 fixed thereto as by cap screws 103. This pivot bar 101 has pivotally connected thereto, at either end, a pair of timing screw carrier arms 105, 107. These carrier arms 105, 107 are, in turn, connected to each other by a suitable tie bar 109 to form a rigid structure which may swing vertically on the ends of pivot bar 101.. Suitable bearings 108, 108' provide for this movement.

In order to regulate the vertical swing of the carrier arms 105, 107, an adjustment means is mounted on the carriage assembly 80. This means comprises. a stud 1-13 threaded into frame member of the carriage assembly and having its upstanding threaded length positioned immediately adjacent to tie bar 109. Threadedly engaged with the stud 113 is a cylindrical adjustment nut having an annular peripheral groove 1-17 in its outer circumferential surface, the groove being in engagement with bar 109. The engagement of the groove 117 with the horizontal bar 109 is such that the generally cylindrical nut member may be turned but the upper and lower portions of the cylindrical surface above and below the annular groove 117 form abutments above and below the bar 109. Thus as the nut is rotated the bar will be moved upwardly or downwardly with the nut as same moves up and down stud 113 due to its threaded interconnection therewith. It will be obvious that the depth of groove 117 is such that, regardless of its position, the bar 109 cannot become disengaged from the groove even when the bar is at its extreme upper or lower positions, see FIG. 6, despite the fact that the bar moves in an arcuate path centered on the pivot axis of the arms 105, 107 which. carry bar 109 but are rockably mounted on bar 101. Thus, when the nut 115 is manually rotated, it will traverse the stud vertically, up or down, depending on the direction of rotation and, because of the engagement of its peripheral groove 117 with the bar 109, the latter member and also arms 105, 107 to which it is fixed will be swung upwardly or downwardly accordingly. By this arrangement then the timing screw 51 mounted on the ends of these arms may be adjusted vertically with respect to the top flight of conveyor 30, to accommodate dilferent sizes of timing screws for different sizes of articles to be passed through the apparatus.

Turning now to FIGS. 5 and 6 in particular, the means for adjusting the horizontal position of timing screw 51 relative to the center of the conveyor will now be considered.

As set forth hereinbefore, rod end bearing 79 is afiixed to the table 1 1 and projects upwardly therefrom between frame members 85 and 87. A similar rod end bearing 121 is mounted on carriage assembly 84 specifically frame member 89, in axial alignment with hearing 79. Extending between these hearings and slidable with respect to the fixed bearing 79 is an adjusting screw 125. This screw is provided at its outer end with an adjustment knob 126, the purpose of which will become apparent.

As stated previously, the adjustment screw 125 is slidable in rod end bearing 79, but it is fixed to rod end bearing 121 by a pair of nuts 1 29, 131 threaded on the adjustment screw to either side of the bearing 121 so as to sandwich the bearing between them, the nuts being drawn tightly thereagainst. Screw member 125 thus is movable in conjunction with horizontal movement of the timing screw carriage.

Again referring to the drawings, in particular in FIG. 6, it will be seen that the rod end bearing 79 receives the intermediate portion of the adjustment screw 125 which may slide freely therethrough. A suitable nut member 137 however, is threaded on screw 125 and bears against one side of end bearing 79 while a coil spring 139 surrounds the free end of screw 125 having one end in engagement with hearing 79 and its opposite end in engagement with :further nut 141, also threaded on screw 125. Thus bearing 79 is sandwiched between nut 137, spring 139 and nut 141 so that while nut 137 limits movement of the screw 125 and carriage toward the conveyor 30, the carriage 80 may move against the action of coil spring 139 in the opposite direction away from the conveyor 30. It is believed apparent then that the position of the timing screw 51 relative to the centerline of conveyor 30 can be regulated by the expedient of turning nut 137 on screw 125 to a suitable position relative to the length of the latter and thereafter adjusting the coil spring 139 against bearing 79 both as to position and tension via nut 141. Also apparent is the fact that should undue pressure, as by jamming of one or more containers against timing screw 51 occur, the pressure against the screw will cause it and carriage assembly to move horizontally away from the containers against the expanded spring 139 to compress same, the entire timing screw assembly moving away from the conveyor to relieve the jammed condition. Because of the structural arrangement described, the movement of the timing screw 51 will always be in the same horizontal plane toward and away from conveyor 30, which fact is extremely important in that contact of the timing screw 51 with the side of a .given container will always be at the same location relative to the vertical height, thus preventing mis-registry of the container relative to the printing member 69 once the jammed containers are unscrambled by the timing screw when it moves back to its preset position.

The timing screw 51 has been described as being rotatively driven, rotating about an axis at all times parallel to the axis of movement of the conveyor 30. This rotative motion is affected by means of a gear drive, to be described. The gear drive is comprised of conventional components but will be described in connection with FIGS. 7 and 8 since it along with the overall drive arrangement includes several features providing for movement of the timing screw solely in a horizontal plane and also since the timing screw 51 may be changed, i.e., different pitch screws are used for different sizes of container.

Considering now the schematic view of FIG. 7, it will be seen that prime mover for the machine is electric motor M which drives a main shaft 160 through a variable transmission V through sprockets 161, 162 and chain 163. The shaft 160 is rigidly fixed to suitable supports and journals (not shown) within cabinet structure 10.

Power from main shaft is transmitted to the conveyor elements 55, 5'5 and 57, 57' via sprocket 164 on main shaft 160 and sprocket 165 on conveyor shaft 166 and chain 167. Shaft 16-6 in turn carries the conveyor sprockets 7 and 1', sprocket 1 being shown in FIG. l.

Rotative power for the printing wheel 69 is derived from shaft 160 via sprocket 168, chain 169 and a chain drive assembly designated generally as 170, powered by gears 171, 171' so as to reverse the rotation of the printing wheel or head 69 from that of shaft 160. Also driven from main shaft 160 is the presser belt 23 via sprocket 173, chain 174 and sprocket 175, shaft -176, sprocket 177, chain 29 and sprocket 3-1 in turn carried on and fixed to shaft 181 carrying pulley 21. Of the mentioned shafts, shaft 160 is fixed as aforesaid while shaft is carried by and journaled in frame :17 which moves up anddown with respect to the cabinet structure 10. In order to permit frame 17 and shaft .180 to move relative to the fixed main shaft 160, the sprockets 175, 177 are mounted on one end of a floating pivot bar 181 which in turn has its opposite end pivotally connected to shaft 160. The end connections for this pivot bar 181, and as well all of the pivot bars subsequently mentioned, are generally conventional and comprise simply bearing members surrounding each shaft whereby the shafts can rotate within the bearings, yet, the shafts act as supports for the bars or are carried by the bars so that at least one end of the bar is fixed while the opposite end may swing about the fixed shaft end. Thus shaft 160 being fixed, while the sprockets 175, 177 being journaled on the opposite end of bar 181, these latter sprockets may move in a vertical are about the pivot point for bar 181 which is shaft 160. Sprocket 177 is also journaled on the end of second pivot bar 182 at its free end while the opposite end of bar 182 is journaled on shaft 180 which in turn is fixed to movable frame 17. Thus as the frame 17 is raised or lowered the connection at sprockets 175, 177 and pivot bars 181, 182 act as an elbow to permit the drive system to accommodate the relative movement of shaft 180 with respect to shaft 160.

As is obvious from the previous descriptive matter the timing screw 51 moves relative to the cabinet structure 10, housing the drive system in both a vertical and horizontal direction, i.e. by adjustment of means 115 and by movement of the carriage against the bias of spring 139, the screw being mounted between the arms 105, 107 in turn supported on the carriage. Thus the drive system must include an arrangement whereby the timing screw 51 is continuously driven from the power source, including main shaft 160 which is immobile in cabinet structure 10. A similar elbow type of drive arrangement to that described above is also utilized to accommodate this function. The timing screw drive is thus driven from fixed main shaft 160 by sprocket 183 keyed thereto and driving a right angle transmission unit R via chain .184 and input sprocket 185. The output shaft 186 of unit R carries sprocket 187 and pivot bar 195. The free end of bar 195 carries shaft 189 having sprockets 188 and 190 keyed thereto. Sprocket 188 is driven by chain 196, while sprocket 190 drives sprocket 191 via chain 192. Sprocket 191 is incorporated in the timing screw drive and hence it moves with the carriage assembly 80 and timing screw 51, horizontally relative to shaft 186. A pivot bar 193 is journaled on shaft 191 and has its free end connected to shaft 198 so that shaft 189 serves as the elbow connection to permit the movement of the timing screw as described hereinbefore.

It will be noted from the above description of the machine drive, that the printer drive, the conveyor drive and the presser belt drive are all positively driven from main shaft 160 .and by choice of sprockets, the conveyor and presser belt are both driven at exactly the same speed. The printer drive is so geared that the printing wheel rotates at the required speed so as to coordinate with registration of openings between conveyor links 57, 57' with the opening 65 in the surface 12 of cabinet structure 20 so that a printing plate is exposed each 180 of rotation of the printing wheel.

The timing screw is also positively driven from main shaft 160. However, the drive gear system driven from shaft 197 and including a geartrain illustrated broadly as 150 is so constructed that the final drive ratio transmitted to the timing screw 51 may be varied by changing the ratio between gears as will become apparent. The reason for this is that the pitch of the thread on timing screw 51 may vary according to the size of container being processed. In this connection it might be mentioned that various pitched timing screws may be interchangeably mounted in the timing assembly for this purpose.

In practice, the apparatus comprising the present invention is tied into a conventional product handling line in such fashion that all or some of the products to be codemarked are passed over or diverted onto the conveyor 39. Such lines usually include ,a diverter gate G which feeds the products generally toward the center line of the conveyor. Associated with gate G is a guide rail G which keeps the containers from moving off the conveyor when the containers encounter timing screw 51. The timing screw spaces out the containers for printing after which they pass 011 of conveyor 30 and are guided onto the production line by any suitable guide rail means G The actions of the various parts of the coder are believed readily apparent from the preceding description.

Turning now to FIGS. 8a and 8b a unique gearing arrangement is shown with respect to the drive means for timing screw 51, whereby the timing screw may be changed as to pitch wherein, for example, the product to be coded is of such size as to require each item to be spaced apart more than one product to each opening between links 57, 57'. For example, while small diameter medicine bottles might be positioned directly on each succeeding pair of links 57, 57, and one each could be imprinted with each 180 of rotation of the printing wheel, a one gallon can would, because of its size, be spaced on the conveyor so that one each would be printed with each 360 rotation of the printing wheel. Therefore, a change of timing screw pitch would be required, so that sorting out of the container and positioning of same relative to the printing wheel will be accomplished properly with one can being disposed over every other ones of the links 57,57. Obviously the pitch of the thread 54 on the timing screw 51 must equal the spacing between the apertures on the conveyor on one hand, or be twice that distance on the other hand where relatively large sized products are to be handled. Hence, as a general rule, two timing members are provided with each machine with the pitch of each being determined by the spacing between links 57, 57 and for the two situations outlined above. Remembering, however, that the peripheral speed of the threads 54 must be such that the container or product is timed to the speed of the conveyor as the product passes over the printing wheel, the speed of the timing member 51 must also be varied to accommodate whichever timing pitch size screw is used. Since merely two screws will handle almost one hundred percent of the needs for which the apparatus may have utility, a unique gear system is incorporated into the timing screw gear system.

As has been stated the timing screw 51 is driven by chain 192 and sprocket 191 on shaft 197. Shaft 197 also carries spur gear 201 and is rotatably journaled on support arm 107 thus rotation of the shaft 197 imparts rotation to gear 201. Gear 201 meshes with gear 211 mounted on shaft 213 which shaft comprises a bolt-like member held in place by nut 215 so that the shaft may be removably positioned in one of two apertures 217L or 217U which are vertically spaced in support arm 107 and disposed in a plane which is slightly angled to the vertical for reasons as will become apparent. Gear 211 in turn meshes with gear 219 which is removably fixed to the shaft 221, in turn carrying timing screw 51.

As illustrated in FIGS. 8a and 8b, and in particular in FIGS. 8c and 8d, the two meshing gears, 219 and 211 are provided with stepped gear faces of different diameter, namely 223, 225 on gear 211, and 227 and 229 on gear 219. For a faster timing screw drive the toothed faceportions 225 of gear 211 and 229 of gear 219 define the driving meshing of these gears, see FIGS. 8b and d. For slower revolution, hence speed of timing screw 51, the intermeshing relationship between gears 211 and 219 is via meshing surfaces 223 and 227, see FIGS. 8:: and c.

It will be also apparent that because of the different diameters of the meshing portions of gears 211 and 219, the gear 211 must be repositioned to mesh properly with gear 219, see FIGS. 8c and 8d, hence, as illustrated in FIG. 8a, when the surfaces 223 and 227 are meshed, the shaft 213 is positioned in the upper aperture 217U while, as shown in FIG. 8b the lower aperture 217L receives shaft 213 when the meshing occurs between faces 229 of gear 219 and 225 of gear 213.

Since the gear 219 and shaft 215 are easily repositioned being removably mounted, by conventional means, it is believed apparent that changes in timing screw speed may be quickly and easily affected to suit the pitch of the particular screw 51 in use at any given time.

With respect to timing screw 51 it suffices to say that its shaft ends are removably mounted in the support arms 105, 107, by any suitable conventional means which will facilitate its easy removal from the support arms, as by bayonet connection or the like.

Having thus described the invention in detail, it will be apparent that various changes and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art, such modifications falling within the spirit and scope of the invention which is limited solely as defined in the claims hereafter, wherein:

What is claimed is:

1. In a container marking apparatus, a cabinet structure, having a planar horizontal top surface; conveyor means supported by said cabinet structure and movable over said top surface; a timing screw movably mounted on said top surface of said cabinet structure and disposed above said conveyor and laterally of the centerline thereof for spacing containers along said conveyor; means for adjusting said timing screw vertically above said conveyor and means for adjustably positioning said timing screw laterally with respect to the centerline of the conveyor, said last-mentioned means restraining said lateral movement to a horizontal plane only and including resilient means biasing said timing screw toward the centerline of the conveyor.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 including, further, printing means disposed below said conveyor and adapted to contact articles as they pass thereover, said conveyor means being comprised of parallel flights of edge interconnected links, said links defining flat plates in side-byside relation, the inner edges of certain of said plates in each flight being in close proximity; the edges of selected others of said plates being spaced apart defining cut-out openings between the conveyor flights at regular intervals throughout the length of the conveyor flights; and means driving said conveyor flights whereby said selected others of said plates are maintained in continual registry with each other.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said timing screw is rotatably journaled on a pair of pivot arms swingable vertically about an axis disposed parallel to the centerline of the conveyor and including, further, means to lock said pivot arms at and given position vertically at any given position above the planar surface of the cabinet structure.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein one of said swingable arms carries a drive means for said timing screw.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for laterally adjusting said timing screw comprises a carriage movable on the planar surface of said cabinet structure, antifriction means disposed between Said planar surface of the cabinet and said carriage including means to limit movement of the latter in a horizontal plane and normal to the centerline of the conveyor and, further means disposed above the carriage to restrain movement of said carriage in the vertical direction.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said biasing means comprises a bearing fixed to said cabinet surface, a bearing moveable with said timing screw and a manually adjustable screw element fixed to said lastmentioned bearing and slidable in said first-mentioned bearing, stop means carried by said manually adjustable screw element and spring means disposed between said first-mentioned bearing and said stop means.

7. A coding machine for printing on the bottoms of containers moving in a predetermined path comprising: a cabinet structure having a generally horizontal top surface; conveyor means supported on and moveable across said surface; a printing means mounted below the conveyor and having at least one printing member thereon; means for projecting said printing member upwardly above the conveyor surface at regular intervals, said conveyor means being provided with means whereby said printing member may contact an article on said conveyor; holding means for holding an article firmly on the conveyor during its movement over and contact by said printing means said holding means including a guide rail, a belt disposed above the conveyor and having a bottom flight moving in the direction of movement of the conveyor and timing means engaging each article prior to and during its passage over said printing means; drive means cooperatively driving said belt, said conveyor and said printing means, said timing means spacing the articles along the conveyor for registry with the periodic projection of said printing means and including a timing screw, a carriage means mounted on the top surface of the cabinet structure and biasing means on said structure and acting on said carriage means for maintaining said timing screw in a parallel, resiliently biased position inwardly toward the centerline of the conveyor, said carriage means further including an adjustment means for positioning said timing screw a predetermined, spaced distance above the surface of the conveyor.

8. A coding machine as defined in claim 7 wherein said conveyor is comprised of paired flights, each flight being comprised of a plurality of front and rear connected slatlike links, the majority of said links having their inner most edges in close proximity to each other at the centerline of the conveyor, the remainder of said links having their innermost edges spaced apart a distance sufiicient to permit projection of said printing means therebetween, said last mentioned slat-like links being positioned in the conveyor at regular intervals so as to coordinate with the periodic intervals of projection of said printing means.

9. In an apparatus for marking containers, a cabinet structure; conveyor means for moving containers in a straight, horizontal path over said cabinet structure; marking means disposed below the conveyor and adapted to contact each container; a timing screw rotatable about an axis disposed parallel to the path of movement of said containers and said conveyor; carriage means supporting for swinging said timing screw in an arcuate path and 7 locking same at a selected position in any given point in said path above the surface of said conveyor.

10. In an apparatus for marking containers, a cabinet structure; conveyor means supported thereby for moving containers in a straight, horizontal path, a marking means for marking the'oontainers, carried by said cabinet structure; a timing screw means rotatable about an axis disposed parallel to the direction of movement of said conveyor means and containers thereon; carriage means supporting said timing screw, said carriage means being movable laterally toward and away from the direction of movement of said conveyor means and containers thereon and including guide means restraining movement of said carriage means to a horizontal plane normal to the path of movement of said conveyor means; resilient means acting on and yieldingly biasing said carriage means and said timing screw to a laterally preselected position parallel to said conveyor means; drive means disposed within said cabinet structure for driving said conveyor means and said timing screw, said drive means including first, second and third shafts in spaced, parallel relation to each other, a sprocket mounted on each shaft and drive chains trained on said sprockets, rigid members extending between said first and second and said second and third shafts, respectively, to maintain same in said spaced,

parallel relation, said rigid members being connected to said shafts to swing about the respective center line thereof, said first and third shafts being fixed to said cabinet structure and to said carriage means, said second shaft being freely movable to provide a pivotal arm interconnection whereby said timing screw may be driven from a prime mover disposed within said cabinet structure.

11. A container marking apparatus including a con veying surface; printing means and a timing screw means for spacing products at preselected, spaced positions on the conveying surface for periodic contact with said printing means; support means for said timing screw means; means for releasably'mounting the timing screw means in said support means adjacent and parallel to said conveying surface and drive means for said timing screw means, said conveying surface and said printing means, said drive means including a change speed gear drive for said timing screw means comprising at least a pair of gears each having two peripheral faces of different diameter, one of said gears being selectively reversible end-for-end with respect to the other of said gears so that the smaller face of the reversible gear is positioned to mesh with the larger face of said other gear in one position and the larger face of the reversible gear is positioned to mesh with the smaller face of said other gear in a second position, said other gear being mounted on a selectively positionable shaft, said shaft being engageable with said support means whereby said shaft may be placed in either of two selected positions to cause face-to-face engagement of said other gear with the reversible gear irrespective of which face of said reversible gear is presented for engagement therewith, whereby the drive ratio of said timing screw means with respect to said conveyor may be varied.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,193,297 8/1916 Porcher 101-44 2,437,094 3/ 1948 Hyland 74342 2,471,098 5/1949 Davies 101-35 2,569,636 10/1951 Imse 198189 2,828,001 3/1958 Bornemann 198--13l 2,908,219 10/1959 Clauss 10144 3,054,234 9/1962 Stover 53331.5 X 3,102,468 9/1963 Worth 101-35 0 ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM B. PENN, Examiner.

PAUL R. WOODS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A CONTAINER MARKING APPARATUS, A CABINET STRUCTURE, HAVING A PLANAR HORIZONTAL TOP SURFACE; CONVEYOR MEANS SUPPORTED BY SAID CABINET STRUCTURE AND MOVABLE OVER SAID TOP SURFACE; A TIMING SCREW MOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID TOP SURFACE OF SAID CABINET STRUCTURE AND DISPOSED ABOVE SAID CONVEYOR AND LATERALLY OF THE CENTERLINE THEREOF FOR SPACING CONTAINERS ALONG SAID CONVEYOR; MEANS FOR ADJUSTING SAID TIMING SCREW VERTICALLY ABOVE SAID CONVEYOR AND MEANS FOR ADJUSTABLY POSITIONING SAID TIMING SCREW LATERALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE CENTERLINE OF THE CONVEYOR, SAID 